Kinney, Aaron, House
Also known as: House of 1810
Why it's listed
Built in 1810 on Waller Street in Portsmouth, Ohio, this brick house served as the permanent home of Aaron Kinney, a Pennsylvania native who arrived in 1804. Kinney began by selling hides, then founded Portsmouth's first tannery and became the township's leading landowner, holding 280 acres by 1820. The house began as a simple rectangular two-story Federal-style building. A rear addition and a columned portico, reputedly from about 1840, were added later, and the front entrance was moved to the portico side. Walls are 14 inches thick and decorated with a diagonal brick frieze, and most interior mantels and chair rails survive. The Kinney family owned the house until 1960, when the Scioto County Historical Society acquired it for restoration and public appreciation. It is reputedly the oldest dwelling still standing in Portsmouth, which is why it is valued as a symbol of the city's early history.
Significance in brief: The house is reputedly the oldest dwelling still standing in Portsmouth and is described as an important symbol of the community's early history. It was the permanent home of Aaron Kinney, who founded Portsmouth's first tannery and became the township's leading landowner.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73001533, listed July 2, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Waller St., Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Scioto County |
| Listed | July 2, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001533 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1810) |
| Architect / builder | Aaron Kinney (original owner and builder) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated fair; exterior largely original and structurally sound, interior in poorer condition with no restoration yet. Owned by the county historical society, with preservation work in progress, and later slated to continue housing a museum. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 38.74751, -82.98851 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73001533.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q116169353
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.